Travel pillow

ABSTRACT

The travel pillow assembly includes a travel pillow designed to provide optimal head support for the user in erect and supine positions. The travel pillow is configured with a hole to securely support the occiput and is tapered in a manner that maintains the user&#39;s neck and head in proper alignment. The travel pillow assembly is constructed of single piece foam which is firm enough and contoured to prevent head turning and neck torsion. The travel pillow assembly also includes an adjustable strap that may be used to provide supplemental support to the head.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.17/100,296, filed Nov. 20, 2020, which application is incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a travel pillow. More specifically, thepresent invention provides an improved travel pillow which supports neckand head of a user in both supine and erect position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A pillow generally provides cushioning for the head and neck, typicallyin a supine position. A travel pillow provides firm support to the neckto prevent a person's head from dropping forward or back or falling toone side or another. A travel pillow must support the person's neckusually while a vehicle is in motion. The travel pillow also providessupport to the neck and head of the person, often while in sittingposition through a range of angles, as is common while traveling on longjourneys in automobiles, trains, buses, airplanes and the like. A commonproblem for the travelers is not being able to sleep when traveling.Further, there are innumerable situations, for instance waiting at theairport for hours for a delayed flight, where the lack of headrests onthe seats makes resting uncomfortable for the passengers. There are avariety of head and neck travel pillows that are currently available inthe market that attempt to address this concern, but none of themprovides sufficient support and comfort when sleeping while sittingduring travelling, for instance in an airplane.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved travel pillow which may beused for resting and sleeping in home or while traveling, for instanceon an airplane. The travel pillow assembly comprises a travel pillowconfigured to support the neck and head of a user in supine position anda strap. The travel pillow assembly further includes a pair of siderests that extend from the shoulders to the top of the user's head,while in an upright position. The travel pillow further includes aheadrest in between the pair of side rests for supporting the occiputportion of the head. The head rest is slightly depressed in comparisonwith the pair of side rests, to align the head and neck of the user inthe forward position while the user's head is in supine or erectposition.

The head rest of the travel pillow further includes a top portion, acentral portion and a bottom portion. The bottom portion of the travelpillow is configured into an arch shape that is designed to rest on theshoulders of the user. Further, the arch extends from one side rest tothe other side rest. The top of the arch is at the base of the head restand the bottom of the arch is at the base of the side rests and rests onthe shoulders to the front of the user's chest. The central portion ofthe head rest supports the middle portion of the head. The centralportion further includes a hole for supporting the occiput or occipitalpart of the head. Moreover, the region from the central portion of thehole to the lower portion of the arch is tapered for accommodating neckin proper alignment, while the user reclines the head while resting. Thetop portion of the headrest supports posterior part of the head. The topportion of the headrest is tapered for accommodating the head in properalignment, while resting.

The travel pillow further optionally includes a strap placed at bottomof the headrest for supporting the travel pillow in place relative tothe head. The strap may be attached to the headrest such that ittightens from side to side to secure the headrest against the user'shead. It may be is further wrapped around the neck starting from one ofthe pair of side rests via the headrest to connect with other side rest.Furthermore, the strap further includes a connector to secure one sideof the strap with the other. The connector here is either of a button,Velcro® hook and loop assembly, hooks, and/or buckles and the like toconnect the strap together. It will be appreciated that the strap may beused in different configurations so long as it secures the head restagainst the user's head.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a travelpillow assembly for supporting neck and head of a user in supineposition. The travel pillow portion is made from a single piece of foamthat is firm enough to accomplish support against the head movement in areclined seated position such as in an airplane or sleeping in erectposition.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a firm yet softtravel pillow that supports the head and neck while resting ortravelling in an upright position or a supine position.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a travel pillowassembly that is strong enough to provide support against the headmovement and neck torsion which is the main impediment to sleep in theupright or reclined seated position such as in an airplane.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a travelpillow assembly that is made up of single piece polyester, polyurethane,latex, visco-elastic or memory foam.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a travel pillowassembly has a concave recess for the occiput to rest and contours tothe cervical region to support its natural lordosis, when the userreclines the head while resting or travelling.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this inventionmay be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specificconstruction illustrated and described within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Although the invention is described above in terms of various exemplaryembodiments and implementations, it should be understood that thevarious features, aspects and functionality described in one or more ofthe individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability to theparticular embodiment with which they are described, but instead can beapplied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of the otherembodiments of the invention, whether or not such embodiments aredescribed and whether or not such features are presented as being a partof a described embodiment. Thus, the breadth and scope of the presentinvention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplaryembodiments.

The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “atleast,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instancesshall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or requiredin instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become more fullyapparent from the following description and appended claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are,therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a travel pillow of a travelpillow;

FIG. 2 (a) illustrates a front view of a headrest of the travel pillowin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 (b) illustrates a back view of the headrest of the travel pillowin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 (c) illustrates a side view of the headrest of the travel pillowfrom the head on view, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 (d) illustrates a side view of the headrest of the travel pillowfrom the head on view, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 (e) illustrates a top view of the headrest of the travel pillowin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 (f) illustrates a bottom view of the headrest of the travelpillow in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a travel pillow having tapered sides in which theback is longer than the front.

FIG. 4 illustrates a strap of the travel pillow in accordance with thepresent invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the travel pillow assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A variety of travel pillows have been described. One such example isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,434,283 assigned to Danami Llc disclosing atravel pillow for use on vehicle seats, for example airplanes duringlong trips. The travel pillow provides support to the head in thesuperior direction or anterior direction with control of twistingmovement of the head in the forward direction and/or the lateraldirection. Though the pillow described therein provides support to thehead and neck of the person, it is too bulky around the back of the neckand does not allow the shoulders to rest properly.

Another Korean Patent KR101538695 assigned to Younghwan Park discloses athree-dimensional pillow that allows resting comfortably while sittingon a chair by allowing the head and neck portions to maintain a stableposture at all times while travelling. The travel pillow describedtherein may provide adequate support to the neck and head of the personwhile the person is sleeping. However, the pillow does not provideenough space for aligning the neck in upright or erect position.

Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 8,584,285B1 assigned to Ryan Sipherdwhich discloses a U-shaped travel pillow contoured for neck support andlateral head support. This pillow supports the head and neck posteriorlybut depends upon a “deflection relief” slot posteriorly to bend the headbuttresses inward to engage the head and neck for lateral support. Thisdesign lacks head buttresses of adequate depth to provide head and necksupport laterally and does not rest upon or contour to the shoulders ina way that resists lateral head and neck movement or twisting while inthe semi-reclined or upright seated position.

In view of the defects in design of the travel pillows in the prior art,there exists a significant need for an improved pillow to stabilize thehead of a user, also referred to herein as a travel pillow. Notably,there exists a need for a travel pillow that is tailored and customizedto maximize comfort of the user. For instance, there exists a need todevelop a travel pillow that will not push the head forward or allow thehead to fall in a rearward position.

Accordingly, the present disclosure provides an improved travel pillowthat is configured to support a user's head and/or neck in multiplepositions while sleeping in the upright or reclined seated position suchas in an airplane. The travel pillow is constructed from a single piecefoam that provides excellent vertical support, lateral support and headcushioning to the user's head. The head rest is soft yet strong enoughto provide support against head rotation and neck torsion, in a reclinedseated position such as in an airplane or sleeping in erect position.The travel pillow has a concave recess for the back portion of the headto rest and contours to the cervical region to improve its naturallordosis.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the travel pillow (102)embodying aspects of the present invention. In accordance of the presentinvention, the travel pillow (102) is configured to support the neckand/or head of a user, while the user is resting in seated position. Thetravel pillow (102) also provides vertical and lateral support to thehead of the user. The travel pillow (102) further comprises a head rest(104) and a pair of side rests (106) that in some embodiments may beidentical with each other, and that are configured to cover the left andright side of the user's head. Each side rest (106 a, 106 b) isconfigured to cover the left side and right side of the user's head,from shoulder to the top of the head. The travel pillow (102) can becustomized according to the user, i.e. may be sized and shaped to matchthe approximate shape of the user's head. Each side rest (106 a, 106 b)may be sized such that the user's ears do not contact the travel pillowwhen the head is at least in the center forward facing position.

The headrest (104) of the travel pillow further is concavely recessedbetween the pair of side rests (106) for supporting the back portion ofthe head. The head rest (104) is depressed inwards, to align the headand neck of the user in the forward position, when the user is restingor sleeping during travelling. The head rest (104) of the travel pillow(102) further includes a top portion, a central portion and a bottomportion.

The top portion of the head rest (104) of the travel pillow (102)supports the posterior part or top portion of the head of the user. Inone embodiment of the present invention, the top portion of the headrest (104) is tapered for accommodating head in proper alignment, whilethe user reclines their head during resting. The central portion of thehead rest (104) of the travel pillow (102) supports the middle portionof the head. The central portion further comprises a hole for supportingthe occiput part of the head.

The bottom portion of the travel pillow (102) is shaped into arcuateshape for resting the travel pillow (102) on the shoulder of the user,so as to remain in position without falling off the shoulder. In oneembodiment of the present invention, the top of the arc-shape bottomportion is at the base of the head rest (104) and bottom of the same lieat the base of the side rest (106 a, 106 b) of the travel pillow (102)and is arched toward the front of the user such that the bottom of thesides rest on the shoulder and chest of the user.

The travel pillow (102) may be made up of a single piece foam material.The single piece foam material is designed and configured in a way toform a head and neck supporting portion of the travel pillow (102).Primarily, the single piece travel pillow (102) includes a pair of siderests (106) on each side of a head rest (104), the side rests (106) areangled upwards with respect to the head rest (104), for supporting theleft and right portions of the head. The thickness of each side restsymmetrically reduces towards the head rest (104) of the travel pillow(102). Alternatively, the single piece travel pillow (102) includes apair of side rests (106) on each side of a head rest (104). In someembodiments the pair of side rests (106) are not identical.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the travel pillow (102) ismade up of a conformable foam material that conforms to the shape ofhead, neck and shoulder of the user, and this support providesadditional comfort and stability on the shoulder. In some embodimentsthe travel pillow (102) is constructed from a memory foam orvisco-elastic foam. In alternative embodiment, the foam is either apolyurethane foam or latex foam.

In alternative embodiment, the travel pillow (102) may also be providedwith a removable cover or case, to protect the pillow and may be removedfor cleaning or replacement thereof. The removable cover may be designedas per the dimensions and design of the travel pillow (102). The coverof the travel pillow (102) is fabricated primarily of a soft fabric,such as fleece or cotton. Other materials may be used depending uponenvironmental considerations or user preferences.

FIG. 2 (a) illustrates a front view of travel pillow (202) constructedby the single piece foam showing the head rest (204) and a pair of siderest (206 a, 206 b) of the travel pillow (202). Primarily, the head rest(204) includes a top portion (204 a), a head rest hole (204 b) and thehead rest bottom (204 c). In some embodiments the top portion is taperedfrom thicker at the top to thinner towards the head rest hole (204 b).In some embodiments the bottom portion (204 c) is tapered from thickerat the bottom and thinner toward the head rest hole (204 b). The headrest hole (204 b) is configured to support the occiput of the head ofthe user. The bottom portion (204 c) is configured in an arch shape. Insome embodiments, the hole can also act as a drink holder or tray table,when the travel pillow (202) is not in use or when the pillow is placedface down over knee of the user. In one embodiment of the presentinvention, the shape of the hole (204 b) is circular.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the shape of thehole (204 b) is either an elliptical, square, triangular or any othershape. In alternative embodiment of the present invention, the diameterof the hole (204 b) is around 5-10 cm. In some embodiments the hole isaround 7 cm in diameter. In some embodiments the width of the travelpillow (202) ranges from around 30-40 cm. More particularly, the widthof the travel pillow (202) is around 30 cm.

In an embodiment, the width of the head rest (204) ranges from around 12cm to around 20 cm. More particularly described, the width of the headrest (204) is around 14 cm. Moreover, the height of the head rest (204)ranges from 16 cm to 26 cm. More particularly, the height of the headrest portion (204) is around 19 cm.

The bottom portion (204 c) of the head rest (204) is curved in arc shapeat some height from the bottom of the side rest (206 a, 206 b). Forinstance, the height at which the bottom portion is configured in anarc-shape, ranges from around 6 cm to around 16 cm. More particularly,the height of the arc shaped bottom portion the side rest (206) isaround 6 cm from the bottom to the bottom of the head rest (204). Inother words, the distance between the top of the arch which is at thebase of the headrest (204) and the bottom of the arch, which is at thebase of the side rest (206 a, 206 b) is around 6 cm.

Also as further depicted in FIG. 2 (a), it is evident that the siderests (206 a, 206 b) are separated at specific distance, depending uponthe head, neck and shoulder anatomy of the user, so that the travelpillow easily accommodates users of varying sizes. The distance betweenthe side rests (206 a, 206 b) ranges from around 16 cm to around 26 cm.More particularly, the distance between the side rests (206 a, 206 b) isaround 16 cm. In some embodiments the distance between the side rests is16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or 26 cm. In some embodiments thewidth of the travel pillow (202) is around 30-40 cm. In some embodimentsthe width of the travel pillow is around 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37,38, 39 or 40 cm. More particularly, the width of the travel pillow (202)is around 30 cm.

FIG. 2 (b) illustrates a back view of travel pillow (202) constructed bythe single piece foam showing the posterior portion of the travel pillow(202). The travel pillow (202) is around 30-40 cm wide in someembodiments. In some embodiments the width of the travel pillow isaround 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 or 40 cm. Moreparticularly, the width of the travel pillow (202) is around 30 cm.

FIG. 2 (c) illustrates a side view of headrest of the travel pillow(202) constructed by the single piece foam showing a view of the siderest (206 a) of the travel pillow (202). The anterior of the travelpillow is to the right. The posterior of the travel pillow is to theleft. In an embodiment in accordance to the invention, the side rest(206 a) has a height ranging from around 25 cm to around 35 cm. In someembodiments the side rest has a height of around 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,31, 32, 33, 34 or 35 cm. More particularly, the height of the side rest(206) is around 25 cm. For a larger or smaller sized pillow, thedimensions of the travel pillow (202) would be increased or decreased,respectively, to accommodate the head, neck, and shoulder anatomy of auser of that size, the same being known to one of ordinary skill in theart.

FIG. 2 (d) illustrates a side view of travel pillow (202) constructed bythe single piece foam showing a view of the side rest (206 b) of thetravel pillow (202). The anterior of the travel pillow is to the left.The posterior of the travel pillow is to the right. The side rest (206b) has a height ranging from around 25 cm to around 35 cm. In someembodiments the side rest has a height of around 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,31, 32, 33, 34 or 35 cm. More particularly, the height of the side rest(206) is around 25 cm. In some embodiments the left and right side rests(206 a, 206 b) are identical, although this is not required in allembodiments. That is, in some embodiments the sides are not identical.

FIG. 2 (e) illustrates a top view of the travel pillow (202) showing theview of the top portion of the head rest (204). As shown in FIG. 2(e)the headrest (204) portion is configured in curved shape from centertowards the top portion (204 a) within the head rest. It is evident fromthis figure that the thickness of this portion decreases as the headrest (202) slopes from the center towards the top. The radius ofcurvature of the headrest rest (204) ranges from 8 cm to 16 cm. Anacceptable radius of curvature is 8 cm. In some embodiments the radiusof curvature is from 2.5 to 5 cm, i.e. the diameter is 5 to 10 cm.

FIG. 2 (f) illustrates a bottom view of travel pillow (202) showing thebottom view of headrest (204). The region from the central portion ofthe hole to the lower portion of the arch shape bottom portion (204 c)is carved for accommodating neck of the user in proper alignment, whilethe user reclines their head during resting.

FIG. 3 illustrates and alternative configuration of the travel pillow(202). In this embodiment the travel pillow comprises tapered sides inwhich the back of the travel pillow is longer than the front of thetravel pillow. Such a configuration finds use when space may be limitedfor the traveler and the smaller profile of the pillow may bebeneficial. For instance, as exemplified in the figure, the back of thetravel pillow may be around 14-20 cm, more preferably 16-18 cm, morepreferably 18 cm high, while the front of the travel pillow may bearound 10-15 cm, more preferably 12-14 cm, or more preferably 14 cmhigh. In some embodiments, the height of the front of the travel pillowis 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% or 30% shorter than the height of the back ofthe travel pillow.

FIG. 4 illustrates a strap 402 of the travel pillow assembly 500 (seeFIG. 5) in accordance with the present invention. A strap (402) isprovided for holding the travel pillow (102) in place with the head. Thestrap (402) may engage with the travel pillow (102) in a variety ofconfigurations. Considering the travel pillow in FIG. 1, the strap (402)may be placed at bottom of the travel pillow (102) for supporting thetravel pillow (102) in place relative to the head of the user. In oneconfiguration the strap (402) is extended in front of the neck startingfrom one side rest (106) to the other side rest (106).

The strap (400) may be made of elastic material, which is stretchableenough to accommodate the neck of the user. Moreover, the strap (400)provides a support to the travel pillow (102) for keeping the head restin place relative to the head of the user. Furthermore, the strap may bemade of elastic cotton material. In other embodiments, the strap alsomay be a belt that supports the travel pillow (102) in place relative tothe head of the user. In one embodiment of the present invention, thewidth of the strap ranges from around 4.5 cm to 6 cm. More particularly,the width of the strap is around 4.5 cm, which secures the travel pillow(102) in place relative to the head of the user.

The strap (400) comprises a central component (402), which may be madeof a variety of materials, and a connector with a male member (404) anda female member (406) to secure one side of the central component (402)to the other. Primarily, the connector is made of Velcro® hook and loopassembly connectors with a male and a female member. Alternatively, theconnector may be a button, hooks, and/or buckles to connect the strap(400) ends together.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the travel pillow assembly(500). In accordance of the present invention, the travel pillowassembly (500) comprises a travel pillow (502) configured to support theneck and/or head of a user, in supine or in erect position. The travelpillow (502) also provides vertical and lateral support to the head ofthe user. The travel pillow (502) further comprises a head rest (504)and a pair of side rests (506) that in some embodiments may be identicalwith each other, and that are configured to cover the left and rightside of the user's head. Each side rest (506 a, 506 b) is configured tocover the left side and right side of the user's head, from shoulder tothe top of the head. The side rests (506 a, 506 b) may be sized suchthat the user's ears do not contact the travel pillow when the head isat least in the center forward facing position.

The headrest (504) of the travel pillow further is concavely recessedbetween the pair of side rests (106) for supporting the back portion ofthe head. The head rest (504) is depressed inwards, to align the headand neck of the user in the forward position, when the user is restingor sleeping during travelling. The head rest (504) of the travel pillow(502) further includes a top portion, a central portion and a bottomportion.

The top portion of the head rest (504) of the travel pillow (502)supports the posterior part or top portion of the head of the user. Inone embodiment of the present invention, the top portion of the headrest (504) is tapered for accommodating head in proper alignment, whilethe user reclines their head during resting. The central portion of thehead rest (504) of the travel pillow (502) supports the middle portionof the head. The central portion further comprises a hole for supportingthe occiput part of the head.

The bottom portion of the travel pillow (502) is shaped into arcuateshape for resting the travel pillow (502) on the shoulder of the user,so as to remain in position without falling off the shoulder. In oneembodiment of the present invention, the top of the arc-shape bottomportion is at the base of the back rest (504) and bottom of the same lieat the base of the side rest (506 a, 506 b) of the travel pillow (502)and is arched toward the front of the user such that the bottom of thesides rest on the shoulder and chest of the user.

The travel pillow assembly (500) further comprises a strap (400) that isplaced at bottom of the travel pillow (502) for supporting the travelpillow (502) in place relative to the head of the user. The strap (400)may be configured to wrap in front of the neck of the user starting fromone of the side rest (506 a) to connect with another side rest (506 b).Alternatively, the strap (400) may wrap around the travel pillow and insome embodiments may rest against the back of the neck of the user. Thestrap (400) is preferably used for holding the travel pillow (502) tothe user in various support configurations. The strap (400) ispreferably made of a durable and elastic material that conforms aroundthe neck of the user easily. The length of the strap (400) may beadjusted depending on size and shape of the head and neck of the user.

The strap (400) further includes a male member and a female member thatcan be joined by using a connector to secure one side of the strap (400)to the other side of the same. In one embodiment, the connector is aVelcro® hook and loop assembly type connection. In other embodiment, theconnector may be of button, hook and/or loop connectors, or otherseparable fasteners to enable attachment for properly holding the pillowat varying orientations.

The travel pillow assembly (500) includes a travel pillow (502), that ismade up of a single piece foam material. The single piece foam materialis designed and configured in a way to form a head and neck supportingportion of the travel pillow (502). Primarily, the single piece travelpillow (502) includes a pair of side rests (506) on each side of a headrest (504), the side rests (506) are angled upwards with respect to thehead rest (504), for supporting the left and right portions of the head.The thickness of each side rest symmetrically reduces towards the headrest (504) of the travel pillow (502). Alternatively, the single piecetravel pillow (502) includes a pair of side rests (506) on each side ofa head rest (504). In some embodiments the pair of side rests (506) arenot identical.

The travel pillow assembly (500) further includes a strap (400) placedat bottom of the travel pillow (502), wherein the strap (400) is wrappedfrom one of the side rests to the other side rest (506).

In one embodiment of the present invention, the travel pillow (502) ofthe travel pillow assembly (500) is made up of a conformable foammaterial that conforms to the shape of head, neck and shoulder of theuser, and this support provides additional comfort and stability on theshoulder. In some embodiments the travel pillow (502) is constructedfrom a memory foam or visco-elastic foam. In alternative embodiment, thefoam is either a polyurethane foam or latex foam.

In alternative embodiment, the travel pillow (502) may also be providedwith a removable cover or case, to protect the pillow and may be removedfor cleaning or replacement thereof. The removable cover may be designedas per the dimensions and design of the travel pillow (502). The coverof the travel pillow (502) is fabricated primarily of a soft fabric,such as fleece or cotton. Other materials may be used depending uponenvironmental considerations or user preferences.

Once made, the pillow, which has been referred to herein as a travelpillow, finds a variety of uses. In one embodiment the pillow finds useas a travel pillow. In alternative embodiments the pillow finds use insleeping whether traveling or not. In a particular embodiment the pillowfinds use with patients following surgery. Frequently followingsurgeries, patients are required to sleep on their back since the pillowencourages the ability to do that comfortably. This would apply tocosmetic surgeries in particular. Accordingly the disclosure hereinprovides a method of immobilizing a post-surgical patient by having thepatient recline into the pillow as described herein, whereby the head ofthe post-surgical patient is immobilized.

While the various embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed above, it should be understood that they have been presentedby way of example only, and not of limitation. Likewise, the figure maydepict an example architectural or other configuration for theinvention, which is done to aid in understanding the features andfunctionality that can be included in the invention. The invention isnot restricted to the illustrated example architectures orconfigurations, but the desired features can be implemented using avariety of alternative architecture and configurations.

1. A travel pillow for supporting neck and head of a user in supineposition, the travel pillow assembly comprising: a head rest portion anda pair of side rests for supporting the head of the user, wherein theheadrest portion is positioned between the side rests and wherein thehead rest portion comprises: a. a top portion for supporting anteriorpart of the head, wherein the top portion is tapered; b. a centralportion with a hole, wherein the hole supports the occiput part of thehead; and c. an arch shape bottom portion, wherein the bottom portionrests on shoulder of the user, further wherein top of the arch shapedbottom portion is positioned at base of the head rest and the bottom ofthe arch shaped bottom portion is positioned at the base of the pair ofside rests
 2. The travel pillow according to claim 1, wherein the travelpillow assembly is made up of a single piece.
 3. The travel pillowaccording to claim 2, wherein the travel pillow assembly is made up of afoam material.
 4. The travel pillow according to claim 3, wherein thefoam material is visco-elastic, polyester, polyurethane or latex.
 5. Thetravel pillow travel pillow according to claim 1, further comprising astrap, wherein ends of the strap are connected with each other througheither of velcro, buckles, hooks or buttons.
 6. The travel pillowaccording to claim 1, wherein shape of the hole in the headrest portionis either of circular, triangular, elliptical or square.
 7. The travelpillow according to claim 6, wherein the hole is configured to hold adrink.
 8. The travel pillow according to claim 1, comprising a strap atthe bottom, further wherein the strap is wrapped around from one of theside to the other side rest.
 9. The travel pillow according to claim 1,wherein the back of a first side rest is longer than the front of saidside rest.
 10. A travel pillow assembly comprising a single, unitarypiece of foam configured to comprise: a. a headrest comprising: a topportion for supporting anterior of a head a central portion with arecess, wherein the recess supports occiput of the head an arch shapebottom, wherein the arch shape bottom rests on shoulder of a user; b. apair of side rests on each side of the head rest, wherein the thicknessof each side rest reduces symmetrically towards the headrest.
 11. Thetravel pillow assembly according to claim 10, wherein the travel pillowassembly is of around 25-35 cm in length.
 12. The travel pillow assemblyaccording to claim 10, wherein the headrest is of around 15-25 cm inwidth.
 13. The travel pillow assembly according to claim 10, whereineach of the pair of side rests is of around 20-30 cm in width.
 14. Thetravel pillow assembly according to claim 10, wherein diameter ofcurvature of the recess is around 5-10 cm.
 15. The travel pillowassembly according to claim 10, wherein diameter of curvature of thearch shape bottom is around 12-20 cm.
 16. The travel pillow assemblyaccording to claim 10, further comprising a strap, wherein width of thestrap is around 3-6 cm.
 17. The travel pillow assembly according toclaim 10, further comprising a strap at the bottom, further wherein thestrap is configured to wrap from one side rest to the other side rest.